Established: In the Department of the Navy by the act abolishing
the Board of Naval Commissioners, August 31, 1842 (5 Stat. 579).

Predecessor Agencies:

War Department (1789-98)

Office of the Secretary of the Navy (1798-1842)

Transfers: With the Department of the Navy to the National
Military Establishment (NME) by the National Security Act of 1947
(61 Stat. 500), July 26, 1947; with the Department of the Navy to
the Department of Defense (formerly the NME) by the National
Security Act Amendments of 1949 (63 Stat. 579), August 10, 1949.

Functions: Provided medical and dental services to active duty
and retired navy personnel and their dependents.

Abolished: October 1, 1982, by realignment directive of the
Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.

History: Department of the Navy established by act of April 30,
1798 (1 Stat. 553), assuming responsibility for naval affairs
formerly vested in the War Department. Secretary of the Navy had
direct supervision over assignment of medical personnel to naval
vessels and shore establishments until creation of Bureau of
Medicine and Surgery, 1842. SEE 52.1.

Textual Records: General correspondence, 1951-71. Records relating to comprehensive surveys and inspections of dental facilities and activities conducted by the Inspector General (Dental), 1964-70. Correspondence of the Professional Branch, 1971. Subject files of the Assistant Deputy Chief for Denistry (Deputy Division Chief), 1965-70.

Textual Records: Registers of patients at naval hospitals, 1812-
1929 and medical logs and reports, 1871-1971. Records (in Boston) of the U.S. Naval Hospital, Portsmouth,
NH, consisting of letters sent, 1865-85, and received, 1865-92.
Records (in New York) of the U.S. Naval Hospital, Brooklyn, NY,
consisting of a register of deaths and burials, 1831-94, and a
register of remains of military personnel returned from Europe,
1919-22. Letters sent by the surgeon, U.S. Naval Asylum,
Philadelphia, PA, 1863-65 (in Philadelphia). Records (in
Philadelphia) of the U.S. Naval Hospital, Philadelphia, PA,
consisting of letters sent, 1868-96, and a register of autopsies,
1909-18.

Bibliographic note: Web version based on Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States. Compiled by Robert B. Matchette et al. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995.
3 volumes, 2428 pages.